Robbie Lawler vs. Eduardo Pamplona
The fight was the IFL debut of Robbie Lawler. The Fight The first round began. They circled. Pamplona blocked a high kick, Lawler slipped but got a big single-leg slam after Pamplona tried a standing guillotine. Lawler kept defending the choke. Three thirty. Pamplona pulled half-guard with it. He was trying hard for this. Lawler was defending. Three fifteen. Pamplona worked hard for that choke. He had Lawler on one knee. It was almost over. Three minutes left there. Lawler was fighting it hard. Lawler threw Pamplona off of him and kneed the body as they fought into a clinch. Two thirty-five. "Hips low!" Miletich called. "Circle!" he yelled repeatedly. Lawler got a trip to half-guard landing a right, Lawler sprawled stuffing a single and they clinched. Pamplona kneed the body. Two minutes left. Pamplona was looking tired. Pamplona landed a right hand. Evander Holyfield was commentating. One thirty-five. They were still clinched up. Lawler landed a right hand. They broke with one fifteen. Lawler landed two lefts to the body and ate a knee to the body as they reclinched. One minute. Pamplona kneed the thigh. Thirty-five. Pamplona kneed the body twice. And a hard one there. Fifteen left. Pamplona kneed the body. And again. The first round ended. 10-9 Lawler mainly based on the takedowns and the control there. The second round began. Lawler blocked a body kick nicely. Lawler landed a right hook and another. They clinched. They traded knees to the body. Three thirty-five left. Pamplona landed a right elbow. Holyfield was going to fight Rutten? Wow. "I don't mind as long as we don't get kicked." Three fifteen as Pamplona kneed the body. And again and again. "Don't hang out there." Three minutes. He landed two short rights and kneed the body. Lawler landed two big lefts and a right uppercut there and they reclinched. Two thirty. Pamplona got a beautiful trip to the butterfly guard. Two fifteen. Pamplona landed a right hammerfist. Two minutes. Pamplona landed a left hand and a short right elbow. Pamplona landed three big right hands there. One thirty-five. One fifteen. Pamplona was throwing a lot now but not connecting. Lawler swept beautifully and stood to the clinch. One minute as Pamplona kneed the body twice. Pamplona has a good Thai clinch here but he lost it. "Put him on his back." Pamplona kneed the body and they broke. Thirty. They reclinched. Pamplona kneed the body and landed a right elbow. "Combos!" Fifteen remaining. Pamplona kneed the body and another hard one. Lawler broke with a hard right hook and missed two high kicks. They clinched. The second round ended there. 10-9 Pamplona but the announcers called it for Lawler. The third round began. Lawler landed a body kick and they clinched. "Dig back inside! Plum him!" Three thirty-five. "Lock him up and dump him and pound him!" Miletich called. Three fifteen. The crowd booed. "One minute down, Rob!" "Work your knees, Robert!" Miletich called insistently. Pamplona kneed the body with three minutes. "Knees, Robert!" Pamplona kneed the body. And again. Two thirty-five. Another knee. Robbie broke with a right hand and a hard left hook and another left hook and another big right rocked Pamplona hard and sent him staggering backwards. And a left uppercut dropped Pamplona and the ref stepped in as Lawler pounced to guard with a right hand, it was over. Pamplona was protesting and he looked very disappointed. "If he connects, it's gonna be over," Rutten commented.